The present invention relates generally to electronic musical instruments capable of performing manual performances responsive to performance operation by human players, automatic performances based on automatic performance data, training performances, etc. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved electronic musical instrument system arranged to readily set automatic performance data, various functions, such as tone color and effect functions, etc. of an electronic musical instrument on the basis of a musical score, lyrics, etc. of a music piece.
Among various examples of the conventionally-known electronic musical instruments are ones which prestore a plurality of sets of automatic performance data in a memory and can execute an automatic performance on the basis of a selected one of the prestored automatic performance data sets. Such automatic performance data can also be loaded from a disk recording medium or downloaded via a communication network.
Also known are electronic musical instruments which allow users to set various functions of tone color, performance effect, etc. Further, as seen in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2003-208163, there have been known data called “registrations” or “regists” which include data for setting a tone color and effect of a first keyboard (lower keyboard) and data for setting a tone color and effect of a second keyboard (upper keyboard).
In an electronic organ, such registration data are allocated to regist switches provided on an operation panel. In response to operation of any one of the regist switches, the electronic organ is set to a performance style corresponding to the data allocated to the regist switch. There have also been services via which, when automatic performance data are to be delivered from a server via a network, registration data are delivered concurrently with the automatic performance data to allow an electronic musical instrument to utilize the registration.
It has also been known that training or practice on a musical instrument performance can be executed through execution, on an electronic musical instrument, of an automatic performance and a manual performance based on manual operation. In this case, automatic performance data of a music piece to be practiced are set into the electronic musical instrument. Further, among music papers having recorded thereon respective musical numbers or names of music pieces in question and performance-related information, such as registrations, suited for performances of the music pieces are those having barcodes and contents of the registrations added thereto. It has been known to set automatic performance data and make settings of equipment, using such information.
Electronic musical instruments capable of setting various functions, like the one disclosed in the aforementioned No. 2003-208163, can execute a music performance in a wide variety of variations. However, the functions to be set need be made to suit a music piece to be performed, and thus, operation for setting the functions tends to be cumbersome, particularly to a beginner. Furthermore, operation for selecting a particular set of automatic performance data, corresponding to a music piece represented on a music paper, from among a plurality of sets of automatic performance data stored in a memory also tends to be cumbersome. Namely, the conventionally-known electronic musical instruments present the problem that each user has to perform various cumbersome operation for setting various functions and automatic performance data. Further, because each user has to perform such operation while making various considerations and judgments, it has been difficult for beginners to adapt themselves to electronic musical instruments.